Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 169

Tying the Knot

“Have you arrived?”

Tang Kwan silently sat in the chair.

He sat without being offered a seat. It was extremely rude behavior, but Moyong Gun didn’t care. He knew that was how Tang Kwan was.

“Would you like some tea?”

“No tea.”

“What then?”

Tang Kwan asked with a frown.

“Do you have any Oryang Liquor left?”

Moyong Gun cleared his throat.

“We’re out of Oryang Liquor, but we have some Geomnamchun.”

“Then let’s have that.”

“Alright.”

Soon, the two sat down with glasses in hand.

Moyong Gun poured a drink for Tang Kwan and asked.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“You can guess, can’t you?”

“Of course, I can.”

Moyong Gun, who had filled his own glass, stroked his beard.

“Are you here because of Yeon Hojeong?”

Tang Kwan openly frowned.

“Who exactly is that bastard?”

Moyong Gun smiled, a hint of bitterness showing.

“I knew you’d ask that eventually, so I’ve prepared an answer.”

“…”

“I don’t know.”

“What kind of answer is that?”

“It’s the truth. He’s the eldest son of the Byeoksan Yeon family, a madman who tried to conquer the Nine Provinces on his own, and the youngest master of our time to break through the Pinnacle of Martial Arts.”

Moyong Gun shook his head.

“Other than that, I don’t know. I’ve used every information network at my disposal, but his past is overly ordinary.”

In truth, he was a textbook example of a tiger father having a dog son.

There was no reason for someone so monstrous to have grown up to be like this. That’s why he said it was ordinary.

“So, what do you think of him?”

Tang Kwan’s eyes deepened.

“I don’t know about a monster, but he certainly seems like a sly snake.”

“Hahaha.”

Moyong Gun nodded.

“A sly snake indeed. Bigger than a dragon and fiercer than a tiger. But even that’s not his true nature.”

“What do you mean?”

“He can change according to the situation and his opponent. In front of a rat, he’ll raise his claws like a cat. In front of a cat, he’ll bare his teeth like a wild dog. And in front of a wild dog, he’ll pounce like a leopard.”

“…”

“I can guess what kind of behavior he showed you. It must have been something you couldn’t even imagine.”

Tang Kwan’s nostrils flared.

He had spared him, but even now, thinking about it made his blood boil. He had never seen someone behave so outrageously in front of him.

Moyong Gun shook his head.

“He sometimes does that to me too. Though it’s certainly different from what he showed you.”

“One thing’s clear.”

“What is it?”

Tang Kwan, who had emptied his glass, spoke with venomous eyes.

“He’s dangerous.”

“…”

“I don’t know what he wants, nor do I care to. But he’s the type who will go to war to get what he wants.”

“You’ve observed well.”

“And…”

“And?”

Tang Kwan, who had been deep in thought, shook his head.

“Never mind.”

He refilled his glass and spoke as if in passing.

“Anyway, I’ve decided not to touch him for a while.”

Moyong Gun smiled.

‘It’s certainly not bad.’

Tang Kwan was a rough man.

Rough, but he knew when to strike and when to retreat. Even the tyrant who reigned as the king of Sichuan had this trait.

‘He may not be fit to rule the world, but he’s more than capable of holding the throne of a local lord. If controlled well, he’ll be a significant asset.’

Although he had allied with Tang Kwan, he had no intention of sharing everything.

His top priority was always his own dream. However, it might be fine to throw Tang Kwan some leftover scraps.

As long as things didn’t go terribly wrong.

Moyong Gun suddenly smirked at the thought.

‘It’s truly a shame.’

The fact that the heads of two of the six great families were having such a conversation proved that Yeon Hojeong was an extraordinary figure.

Thinking about it, it was truly astonishing.

To be troubled by a young man barely out of his twenties? It’s unthinkable.

‘Such a shame. If only he would work for me, things would be so much easier.’

Moyong Gun, licking his lips, asked.

“Did he demand something from you?”

Tang Kwan’s eyes widened.

“How did you know?”

“I figured as much.”

Moyong Gun emptied his glass and continued.

“When he asked me to arrange this meeting with you, I thought about why he would ask for it at this time.”

“…”

“There were only two possibilities. Either he wanted to pressure you, or he wanted to gain something from you.”

“…”

“If he intended to pressure the master of the Tang family, he wouldn’t have come alone. Therefore, the only remaining possibility is that he wanted something from you.”

Indeed, he’s different.

Tang Kwan thought. Moyong Gun was certainly different from him.

Both had been weathered by the storms of life. However, while rising to the peak through fighting in that harsh world, they had developed different skills.

While Tang Kwan excelled in instinct and force, Moyong Gun excelled in strategy and schemes.

It’s hard to say whose skills were better. In critical situations, Tang Kwan might be better, but in shadowy political struggles, Moyong Gun would prevail.

‘In that case…’

The eldest son of the Yeon family was skilled enough to handle both himself and Moyong Gun simultaneously.

‘A monster indeed.’

Moyong Gun asked.

“So, what did he demand?”

Tang Kwan smiled bitterly.

“He asked to borrow the skills of the main family’s craftsmen for a while.”

* * *

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes widened.

Gadeuk Sang whistled involuntarily.

“My word, this is the first time I’ve seen iron chains made with such care.”

The long chains fell to the ground with a clear sound.

Amazingly, the chains were dark gray. Although they looked like ordinary chains, they had a peculiar luster, making them look extraordinary at first glance.

Gadeuk Sang glanced at Yeon Hojeong.

Yeon Hojeong was staring at the chains as if enchanted.

“Do you like it?”

“Very much.”

“I figured.”

Yeon Hojeong grabbed the end of the chain and swung it powerfully.

Clang, clang!

With the sound of metal clashing, the long chain flew through the air.

Yeon Hojeong’s wrist moved smoothly.

Clang! Clang!

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes widened. Mok Bi also looked at the chains with a surprised face.

‘They move?’

It was an astonishing sight.

Yeon Hojeong had only lightly twisted his wrist while holding the end of the chain, but it was wriggling on its own.

It was like watching a living dragon. Despite not being very thick, it felt powerful and dynamic.

‘How?’

It was like witnessing a mystical sorcery. He hadn’t infused it with much internal energy, but it radiated a strange sense of power.

After handling the chain for a while, Yeon Hojeong suddenly swung his arm wide.

Whizz! Thunk!

The end of the chain pierced through the trunk of a small tree in front of the wall.

It was a feat of great precision. He had swung the nearly 50 feet long chain perfectly to hit the target.

Instead of wrapping around, the end of the chain had shot out and pierced through.

It was an incredible penetrating force.

“Hmm, maybe because I’m not used to it yet, it’s half a beat slow.”

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes widened.

“You’re saying this isn’t even proficient?”

“Hm?”

“Did you learn the whip technique? How can you handle that long chain so fluidly?”

Even for a martial arts master, handling an unfamiliar weapon skillfully is not easy.

Especially with weapons like whips, chains, Yeon Hojeong’s main weapon, the great axe, or hidden weapons, they are difficult to handle smoothly without thorough practice.

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“It’s far from proficient. This level of handling is not usable in actual combat.”

It’s just moderately flexible handling.

That’s all. It might work against weaker opponents, but it would be less effective than bare hands against equals or stronger foes.

‘However.’

Yeon Hojeong was rarely excited.

‘It’s an incredible weapon. The feel is completely different from the chains I swung in the past.’

In the past, he had wielded a chain made of steel with the Wind and Thunder Ax.

The chain he had carried back then was a weapon specialized for chaotic battles. Besides the deadly blow that maximized the power of the Wind and Thunder Ax, it was rarely used.

But this chain was different.

‘It’s far more flexible than expected. It’s several times harder than the previous chain and very flexible.’

If it’s a weapon of this caliber…

A chain without any flaws like this could be used effectively even in one-on-one duels.

Yeon Hojeong unfolded the letter enclosed in the box.

I’ve heard you’ve been building quite a reputation recently. If I had made this item earlier, you might have had an easier time. Sorry for giving it to you so late.

He’s a kind man.

The words in the letter were filled with friendliness, as if Pyeong Ilgang was speaking directly to him.

And there was a sense of pride. It must have been several times more challenging than creating the Guangryong Axe.

I’ve named it the Gyoryong Chain. Of course, it’s a name I came up with arbitrarily. As I mentioned before, the Gyoryong Chain contains the rare metal, Yusang Ghost Iron. It’s a unique material that can extend or contract depending on the quality and intensity of internal energy. It will be difficult to handle, but I believe you can manage it well.

Yeon Hojeong held the Gyoryong Chain with both hands and poured his internal energy into it.

Buzz!

Amazingly, the part of the chain he held darkened slowly and lengthened bit by bit.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes widened.

‘Amazing.’

He had never heard of the rare metal Yusang Ghost Iron even during the Dark Heaven era. Controlling the transformation of the metal with internal energy was astonishing.

‘It will be more difficult to handle. It will be hard to grasp the sense of distance. However…’

If handled properly, it could be an extremely versatile weapon.

Whizz.

He coiled the chain around his arm at a right angle and placed the circularly arranged chain on the bench.

“Huh? What are you doing?”

“Hm?”

Gadeuk Sang chuckled.

“You look like you’re in heaven. Aren’t you going to practice right away?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“I’m dying to, but now’s not the time.”

“Then what time is it?”

“Didn’t Hu Gae say he’s resting for a day? We have to make the most of it.”

Gadeuk Sang’s face crumpled.

“Am I an object?”

“So, you won’t help?”

“…Damn.”

With his arms crossed, Gadeuk Sang sat down on the bench.

“I’m expensive. Bring me some liquor if you want a favor.”

“Save the liquor. I’ll treat you to a big one later.”

“You’re a real piece of work, owing a beggar.”

Though grumbling, Gadeuk Sang’s eyes were filled with curiosity and tension. He knew Yeon Hojeong wouldn’t ask for help unless it was something significant.

Yeon Hojeong asked seriously.

“We need your help.”

“What do you mean?”

“We need to make the factions’ fight in the Bonggong meeting a real fight.”

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes sparkled.

He instantly understood what Yeon Hojeong meant.

“You want me to introduce some people?”

“Yes.”

“I heard the Tangma and Myeolsagun armies are setting out together in a few days.”

“That’s why we need to move quickly.”

“You want to make it a real fight before they set out…”

“Is it impossible?”

“It’s not impossible. But you’ll have to choose between quality and quantity.”

Gadeuk Sang, who was looking up at Yeon Hojeong, gave a meaningful smile.

“Sometimes, a good person can be scarier. Are you sure about this?”